On this page:

• Our expert testers
• How we choose which lawnmowers we test
• How does ÌÇÐÄVlog test lawnmowers?
• Test criteria explained
• Our test lab

Our expert testers

At ÌÇÐÄVlog, the vast majority of our product testing is done by our qualified in-house testers. Our testers are highly experienced in testing a wide range of products, and many sit on Standards committees and belong to other professional bodies. Our robust lawnmower test method is based on the late Peter Horvath’s experience testing hundreds of lawnmowers in real-life conditions over the years.

How we choose which lawnmowers we test

Most of the time, our priority is to test what you’ll see in stores. Our selection typically comes from brands you’ll see in independent lawnmower outlets or major hardware stores – so long as they’re targeted to the domestic market.

To come up with our list, we survey manufacturers to find out about their range of models. Our lawnmowers are bought anonymously at retail, so they’re the exact same products you’d buy yourself, and you can be confident they haven’t been ‘tweaked’ in any way.

We aim to test in spring in order to publish the results in time for the summer mowing season. Sometimes weather and other circumstances force changes to the schedule, but we usually find a way!

How does ÌÇÐÄVlog test lawnmowers?

Lawn is prepared to short (30mm) and medium (70–100mm) lengths, and an area of grass has been left to grow long (300mm+).

Performance

After adjusting the lawnmower settings so they’re performing at their best, our experts assess how well the mowers cut the grass down to various lengths. We use both catcher and mulcher mode (if available) for the short and medium cutting tests.

When judging the results for short and medium catcher and mulcher tests, we’ll look at whether the lawn surface is even or clean, and if there’s any uncut grass or areas left in clumps.

Mulching mowers should cut and blow small clippings neatly back into the lawn. If they don’t, they’ll get points deducted from the performance score.

We also check how well the mowers can handle long grass (it may get this way after a long holiday, for instance). We don’t attach the catcher or use mulcher mode. Instead, we see whether the mower is powerful enough to handle the job without slowing down too much.

Ease of use

Our experts review:

• pushing and manoeuvring
• handle comfort
• ease of operation (how convenient the controls are)
• ease of cutting height adjustment
• noticeable vibration (usually more pronounced on petrol models)
• ease of fitting the catcher
• ease of starting (petrol models).

We also assess noise at operator level and from a short distance away.

Other measurements

Our experts bring along a steel ruler to our test site and measure how much grass is left on the sides and front of the mower after cutting.

For battery mowers we time the actual battery life, as opposed to using the manufacturer’s claimed battery life. We measure battery life with the mower running, but stationary; unfortunately it’s not practical to mow for hours in order to measure the battery life under load. All of this comprehensive information is available in our lawnmower reviews.

Test criteria explained

The ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating is made up of:

• catcher cutting score (25%)
• mulcher cutting score (if applicable) (25%)
• ease of use (50%)

For mowers without a mulcher mode, the catcher score makes up 50%.

Our test lab

We maintain climate-controlled labs that are up to date with the latest reference machines and calibrated measurement tools for our testers to bring you the right results. For tests of outdoor equipment such as lawnmowers, most of the actual testing is done “in the field”. 

The actual test site can change from year to year, depending on the availability of the site, weather conditions and more, which is why our experienced testers use reference mowers to ensure they keep their assessments as consistent as possible.

The post How we test lawnmowers appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Our expert testers
• How we choose which hedge trimmers to test
• How we test hedge trimmers
• Test criteria explained
• Our test lab

Our expert testers

ÌÇÐÄVlog maintains a highly professional NATA-accredited laboratory and the vast majority of our product testing is done in-house. Our testers are qualified and well-experienced in testing a wide range of products, and many sit on Standards committees and belong to other professional and expert bodies.

For some products there are Australian or international standards, which usually form the basis of our testing for those products. This isn’t the case for hedge trimmers, so our expert testers, project managers and content producers work together to devise a test method that is based on what people are looking for when it comes to a good hedge trimmer.

How we choose which hedge trimmers to test

Hedge trimmers can run using a power cable, rechargeable battery or petrol (2- or 4-stroke engine). There are also far-reaching telescopic types. With so many to choose from, what makes us choose one line trimmer to test over another? Like with most of our product testing, our aim is to test the popular brands and models on the market and what you are most likely to see in the retailers.

Battery-powered hedge trimmers are a fast-growing market with plenty of choice out there, so in recent years we’ve shifted our focus to these types only.

At the moment, battery trimmers generally don’t perform quite as well as other types we’ve tested over the years, but there are still decent models to suit typical hedges as long as you don’t need to cut masses of thick, woody material over a mammoth hedge-trimming session.

We survey manufacturers to find out about their range of models, we check market sales information and we also check for any member requests to test specific models. From this information we put together a final list that goes to our buyers. They then head out to the retailers and purchase each product, just as a regular consumer would. We do this so we can be sure they are the same as any consumer would find them and not ‘tweaked’ in any way for better performance.

How we test hedge trimmers

Performance

We test the trimmers on a suburban property with adequate amounts of hedge. It’s the same property (and hedges) we used in 2021, but previous locations are not directly comparable as the conditions were different. 

Our garden expert tests how well the hedge trimmers perform when cutting woody branches. An excellent score means the hedge trimmer feels very powerful and doesn’t struggle cutting thicker branches, while lower scores feel underpowered and can’t handle the thicker branches (the result may look very jagged, for instance).

Ease of use

To calculate the ease of use score, we take the following factors into account.

Comfort

Comfort is crucial when using a hedge trimmer and we assess it in both horizontal and vertical modes.

Weight and balance

A lightweight, well-balanced hedge trimmer will make the job easier. If it’s noticeably heavier on one end, it could get tiring to use.

Handles

Our expert rates how comfortable the handles are for both vertical and horizontal trimming.

Controls

We find out how easy it is to use the switches on the wrap-around front handle and the rear handle trigger, for horizontal and vertical trimming.

Visibility

We note how well you can see the cutting edge where it makes contact with the hedge.

Noise

We measure the hedge trimmer’s noise both at the user’s position and at a 7.5m distance.

Other general observations

We record features like anti-jam buttons, wall hooks, claimed battery running time and whether there is a trigger lock.

Test criteria explained

The ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating, our overall score that determines which products we recommend, for line trimmers is made up of:

• hedge trimming performance (50%)
• ease of use (50%).

Weightings are in brackets.

The ease of use score is weighted equally between the criteria mentioned above. 

Our test lab

We maintain a climate-controlled lab that is up to date with the latest reference machines and calibrated measurement tools for our testers to bring you the right results. For tests of outdoor equipment such as hedge trimmers, most of the actual testing is done “in the field”.

The post How we test hedge trimmers appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Our expert testers
• How we choose which line trimmers we test
• How we test line trimmers
• Test criteria explained
• Our test lab

We put them to the test to weed out any poor performers. Here’s how we go about it.

Our expert testers

ÌÇÐÄVlog maintains a highly professional NATA-accredited laboratory and the vast majority of our product testing is done in-house. Our testers are qualified and well-experienced in testing a wide range of products, and many sit on Standards committees and belong to other professional and expert bodies.

For some products there are Australian or international standards, which usually form the basis of our testing for those products. In other cases, such as with line trimmers, our testers and content producers work together to devise our own test methods based on the key aspects that matter to consumers.

How we choose which line trimmers we test

With so many to choose from, what makes us choose one line trimmer to test over another? Like with most of our product testing, our aim is to test the popular brands and models on the market and what you are most likely to see in the retailers.

We survey manufacturers to find out about their range of models, we check market sales information and we also check for any member requests to test specific models. From this information we put together a final list that goes to our buyers. They then head out to the retailers and purchase each product, just as a regular consumer would. We do this so we can be sure they are the same as any consumer would find them and not ‘tweaked’ in any way for better performance.

How we test line trimmers

Performance

We test the line trimmers on a large semi-rural property with plenty of long grass. In 2019, 2020 and again in 2021 we had to move the test to new sites, and because the test conditions are a bit different (the grass, terrain etc.) our results from previous years are not directly comparable. That said, we re-tested some models from past reviews on the new site, and their past results are similar to their latest results so we’ve kept all the previous test results in the review.

Our tester tests:

• horizontal trimming along fences and walls and on areas of lawn
• vertical trimming (with the cutting head perpendicular to the ground) along the edges of paths and garden borders. We simulate a hard garden border using a wooden plank on a grassy area, moving the plank to new grass as needed
• cutting long grass.

If the trimmer is supplied with other cutting options (e.g. a brush-cutting blade that can be mounted instead of the line head) these are also assessed and commented on, but not included in the score.

Ease of use

The tester assesses:

• how comfortable the trimmers are to use, taking into account their weight, balance, handles, shaft length, and visibility while edging (the angle of the cutting head)
• re-spooling the line into the head
• using the controls
• starting the line trimmer
• using the line feed
• the amount of vibration
• noise levels, at the operators position and at 7.5 metres from the trimmer.

Test criteria explained

The ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating, our overall score that determines which products we recommend, for line trimmers is made up of:

• performance (50%)
• ease of use (50%).

The performance score is made up of:

• horizontal trimming (40%)
• vertical trimming (40%)
• cutting long grass (20%).

Weightings are in brackets.

The ease of use score is made up of the following, all weighted equally:

• comfort (weight, balance, handles, shaft length, and visibility while edging)
• re-spooling the line into the head
• using the controls
• starting the line trimmer
• using the line feed
• the amount of vibration.

Our test lab

We maintain a climate-controlled lab that is up to date with the latest reference machines and calibrated measurement tools for our testers to bring you the right results. For tests of outdoor equipment such as line trimmers, most of the actual testing is done “in the field”, in this case quite literally, on a rural property with ample supplies of long grass and brush in order to really challenge the trimmers.

The post How we test line trimmers appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Our expert testers
• How we choose which ride-on mowers we test
• How we test ride-on mowers
• Test criteria explained
• Our test lab

Our expert testers

ÌÇÐÄVlog maintains a highly professional NATA-accredited laboratory and the vast majority of our product testing is done in-house. Our testers are qualified and well-experienced in testing a wide range of products, and many sit on Standards committees and belong to other professional and expert bodies.

For some products there are Australian or international standards, which usually form the basis of our testing for those products. In other cases, such as with ride-on mowers, our testers and subject matter experts work together to devise our own test methods based on the key aspects that matter to consumers.

How we choose which ride-on mowers we test

With so many to choose from, what makes us choose one ride-on mower to test over another? Like with most of our product testing, our aim is to test the popular brands and models on the market and what you’re most likely to see in retailers.

We survey manufacturers to find out about their range of models, we check market sales information and we also check for any member requests to test specific models. From this information we put together a final list that goes to our buyers. They then head out to the retailers and purchase each product, just as a regular consumer would. We do this so we can be sure what we buy is the same as any consumer would find it, and not ‘tweaked’ in any way for better performance.

How we test ride-on mowers

We test ride-on mowers on a large property with plenty of long grass, focusing on performance and ease of use.

Performance

Our tester scores:

• cutting performance by assessing the consistency of cut grass, evenness, and whether the ride-on mower distributed cut grass evenly
• mulching performance based on on whether the ride-on mower produces fine mulch without undue clumping.

Ease of use

Our tester assesses:

• control use, including the ease of starting, controlling speed, engaging clutch or drive, brake use, blade drive, changing cutting height, checking fuel level, and steering comfort
• seat comfort
• noise, measured at the tester’s ear level at full throttle with the blade engaged (this test does not form part of the scoring).

Test criteria explained

For mulching ride-on mowers, the ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating (our overall score that determines which products we recommend) is made up of scores for:

• cutting (25%)
• mulching (25%)
• ease of use (50%).

For non-mulching ride-on mowers, the ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating is made up of:

• cutting (50%)
• ease of use (50%)

Weightings are in brackets.

Our test lab

We maintain climate-controlled labs that are up to date with the latest reference machines and calibrated measurement tools for our testers to bring you the right results. For tests of outdoor equipment such as ride-on mowers, most of the actual testing is done “in the field”.

The post How we test ride-on mowers appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

Australians take great pride in their lawns. Pushing a chugging mower up and down the yard in a quest for neat and perfectly clipped grass is basically a national pastime; the hum of an old-school Victa against a backdrop of thrumming cicadas, one of the iconic sounds of summer.

But could this all be a thing of the past? Robot lawnmowers are relatively new to Australia and the market is small when compared to places in Europe, but there’s still a decent range of models available from well-known mower brands such as Husqvarna, Stihl, Gardena and Worx.

While many of us have embraced robot vacuums for cleaning up inside our houses, what happens when you take the tech outside? 

We delve into the pros and cons with our experts, including the expensive price tags and other things you could consider before you buy. 

Pros of robot lawnmowers

You’ll never have to mow again

If the argument over whose turn it is to mow the lawn is a regular tiff in your house, a robot lawnmower could be the answer. The convenience of a bot that literally cuts your grass for you is the ultimate ‘pro’. 

“Robot lawnmowers do require a bit of setting up and you’ll need to keep an eye on it for the first week to make sure it’s operating properly around the various bumps and dips in your lawn,” says ÌÇÐÄVlog expert Matthew Steen.

“But after that you should be able to let it do its thing, and although there are various factors that impact performance, most of the models we tested are effective at getting the job done.”

They’re quiet and fairly low maintenance

Mowing the lawn is traditionally quite a noisy business, but not with this new tech. 

“Unless you’re very close to the robot mower, you’re unlikely to be annoyed by the noise,” Matthew explains.

“Close to the mower they tend to be no louder than around 60–70dB, which is the volume of a normal to loud conversation.” 

In our expert reviews, we give each lawnmower a score for noise so you can compare how each model measures up. 

Robot lawnmowers are also fairly low maintenance – you’ll need to keep your machine relatively clean and give it a service every now and again (for example, sharpening or replacing blades and replacing batteries after a few years) but mostly you can just leave it to get the job done. 

As they are electric and use rechargeable battery packs, they’re more convenient than a petrol lawnmower that you have to buy and store fuel for – but like battery-powered lawn mowers and linetrimmers, they still need charging, and will need replacement batteries at some point. 

You can control them with your smartphone

Most of the newer robot lawnmower models have apps which allow you to control and schedule your mowing from your smartphone.

You can set automated jobs for specific zones on your lawn that specify when and how to mow (for example, you might like to have a different length of grass for around your pool area, or have the grass near your front path mowed more frequently). And you can do it all while you’re kicking back on the couch inside watching the telly.

Some apps are better than others though, so check our reviews before you commit to a certain model to find out how easy the associated app is to use.

For models that have an app, we give a score based on our assessment of a range of factors including programming the mower and using the app as a remote control. 

They’re safe to use

The thought of a mindless chomping machine let loose on your lawn in the vicinity of pets, children or expensive plants does sound a little frightening. 

And our experts agree with the manufacturers’ recommendation that you don’t allow little Fido or small children (or any of their toys) near the robot lawnmower, whether or not it’s in operation. 

But robot lawnmowers do have a number of in-built safety features, such as blades that stop automatically when the mower is lifted, for example. If guidelines are followed, they are safe to use. 

We assess each mower for safety – we’ve looked at things such as how quickly it stops when someone is near, or if someone or something touches it, and whether it’s possible to pick up the mower when it’s in use and if the blade stops immediately or takes a few seconds. All the models performed very well.

Cons of robot lawnmowers

They’re expensive

If you have a robot lawnmower on your wish list, be prepared to outlay anywhere from $1000 up to tens of thousands of dollars. The models we’ve tested range in price from $999 to $3999. 

Matthew says the price tag is usually indicative of the size of the lawn it can cover – so before you buy, measure your lawn and aim for a robot lawnmower that’s designed for a lawn that’s marginally larger. 

“A robot lawnmower that is priced at $12,000 will be designed to cover a very large yard, which of course means it needs a very large battery. This is where the high price tag comes from – lithium-ion batteries are expensive to buy and expensive to replace,” he says. But if you really hate mowing your lawn, perhaps the price of convenience is worth it. 

They can get stolen

While they can weigh anywhere from 6 to 15kg, robot lawnmowers are portable machines that someone can certainly pick up off your lawn and carry away. 

They do have various anti-theft security features, such as requiring a password to operate, anti-theft alarms and GPS tracking so you always know where they are, but if you don’t want a green-fingered thief to make off with your new lawn toy, we suggest operating it within a securely fenced yard.

You’ll still have to rake or clear your lawn

Robot lawnmowers do have sensors that allow them to navigate large obstacles in your yard, such as trees or clothesline poles. But if you have heavy leaf cover or lots of sticks or twigs about, you’ll have to rake these up first before letting your robot loose to ensure effective operation. And if you have toys lying around, you’ll have to clear those too. 

Robot lawnmowers don’t have bags attached to them, so they’ll leave cut-up grass in their wake, which you may also prefer to clean up afterwards.

No neat lines like you get from a mower

Robot lawnmowers work randomly, so you won’t get those neat, satisfying lines we traditionally associate with freshly cut grass. 

Should you buy a robot lawnmower? 

While robot lawnmowers can be an excellent and convenient option if you hate doing the lawn and you have the cash to spend (and don’t mind a little bit of work setting it up to become autonomous), we’re not quite ready to relegate traditional mowers to the backseat just yet. 

If you’re considering a robot lawnmower, be sure to measure your lawn first to ensure you don’t buy a pricier model than you need, and check our expert robot lawnmower reviews to compare performance and features. 

You can also check out our expert reviews on petrol lawnmowers, battery lawnmowers and line trimmers. 

The post Should you buy a robot lawnmower? We reveal the pros and cons appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Our expert testers
• How we choose what we test
• How we test robot lawn mowers
• How we score robot mowers

Our experts test robot lawnmowers over the course of a month to see how the mowers perform in different conditions so that you can be sure you’re buying the best model for your yard. Here’s how we put robot mowers through their paces.

Our expert testers

To test as many robot lawnmowers as possible to the depth that’s required, we share costs and expertise with our sister consumer organisations around the world. We use professional labs in Europe that specialise in outdoor testing and test many robot lawnmowers every year. From their tests we then pick out the models you can buy in Australia. 

We put every robot lawnmower through the same assessments, regardless of brand or price, so you get an unbiased verdict. Our tests involve a mixture of performance and ease of use lab testing.

How we choose what we test

Just like ÌÇÐÄVlog, our partners in Europe buy the robot lawnmowers they test from retail stores and online to make sure they’re testing the same products that consumers buy. All the models they choose are commonly available worldwide, or have local variants. This means we can report on far more products than we could test here in Australia, and in more detail.

How we test robot lawn mowers

Performance

We spend four weeks testing each robot lawnmower for how well they cut. We conduct testing over this long a period so we can see how they’ll perform long term rather than a single run. It’s also important to see how well they perform periodic lawn mowing as per their schedules. Added to the standard lawn cutting, we also add damp grass performance, long grass, uneven lawn, sloping lawn and rough grass.

Using these factors over a four-week period, we also measure the efficiency of the robot lawnmower, including how evenly it cuts, how well it distributes the cuttings back into the lawn (mulching), if it misses any spots and whether it leaves wheel marks in the grass.

Ease of use

Testing for ease of use includes aspects such as how easy it is to set up the boundary wire (also called the guard or perimeter wire). Where a lawnmower comes with an app, we use this to set up the schedule, as well as try out the manual set-up if available. We assess the cutting height, blade change, lifting and cleaning the mower. These fall into areas such as convenience, installing and using the robot mower and app.

Safety

We conduct a mechanical test showing whether the robot lawnmower stops when riding over a foot. When any robot lawnmower fails this test, we don’t give it a recommended regardless of it’s score.

Battery efficiency

We measure the amount of time the robot lawnmower lasts cutting an area, as well as how long it takes to charge. This is scored as running efficiency.

Noise

We measure the robot lawnmower noise level close to the mower while it’s in operation, and also assess it subjectively at a distance of 10m to give a comparative score.

How we score robot mowers

The ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating is made up of:

• performance (60%)
• convenience (20%)
• noise (10%)
• instructions (5%)
• construction (5%).

In addition to running efficiency (which accounts for 10%), performance looks at how the mowers perform on different lawn types, specifically:

• a standard lawn (50%)
• damp grass (10%)
• long grass (10%)
• an uneven lawn (10%)
• a sloping lawn (10%).

Convenience is broken down into installing and using the mower (70%) and the app (30%). Where there is no app, only installing is taken into account.

Noise is broken down into operation noise measured (50%) and subjective noise evaluation when 10m from the mower (50%).

Instructions looks at whether the product comes with safety and operating instructions, general information, technical data, instructions for use, setup and programming, maintenance and servicing instructions.

Construction is based on how solid the construction feels.

The post How we test robot lawnmowers appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

The Ambrogio L60 Elite is a compact robot lawnmower intended for lawns of up to 200 square metres. Unlike most robot mowers, it needs no perimeter wires installed – it runs much like a robot vacuum cleaner, navigating the area itself and turning around when it hits a hard edge or wall. It’s generally easy to set up and run, and does a good job of cutting the grass, though it tends to leave uncut areas along lawn edges. 

How well does the Ambrogio L60 Elite work?

We put the Ambrogio through its paces on a typical suburban backyard lawn, about 45 square metres in area. It cut the grass well – the first pass over the grass seemed to lack cutting power but after a few more passes, the grass was left neatly cut. Not every part of the lawn was evenly mown, but generally the robot left the grass looking very good.

It does have some weaknesses, for instances edges can be left uncut. We found some edge areas were left with an uncut strip of 12–18cm, depending on the orientation of the mower when it reached that part, and how often it went over it. Possibly if run every day for a few weeks, it might get to some of these areas more effectively, but we wouldn’t expect perfect edge coverage.

Also, the mower can’t cut the grass shorter than 42mm. This is OK for most common lawn grass types such as buffalo or kikuyu, but may not be short enough for some other types.

The wheels are also capable of damaging grass if the mower frequently goes over or turns around on a particular spot, but this is fairly uncommon. Overall, the grass is left looking neat and tidy after a mowing session. 

The mower’s battery has four hours of running time after a two-hour charge. Our test lawn is fairly level, but lawns with more slopes and obstacles will use up charge faster. The mower can manage slopes of up to 40%.

How easy is the Ambrogio L60 Elite to use?

Overall, the Ambrogio L60 Elite is easy to use. The robot is controlled by a set of buttons and indicators on its top surface. We found the onboard controls easy to operate, though the indicator lights are tiny and hard to see in direct sunlight, and the meaning of the various blinking patterns isn’t very intuitive. 

The supplied instruction manual is comprehensive and should be read before you start using the robot. You can also control the robot via a smartphone app using Bluetooth – it’s easy to set this up and operate the robot via the app.

Lawn perimeter

Most robot lawnmowers require a perimeter wire to be set up around the lawn edges, often buried in the ground, so the robot can sense when it’s reached a boundary. There’s no need for that with the Ambrogio, but the edges of the lawn still need to be clearly defined for the robot – for example, a wall, hedge or small metal arches at least 9cm high, or flat paving at least 35cm wide. If the model has a drop-off sensor (as this one does), a curb of at least 5cm followed by a step depth of at least 5cm will also serve as a boundary.

Obstacles

The robot can navigate major obstacles such as trees and clothes line poles, but you’ll need to clear the lawn of other items such as toys. Small obstacles such as holes in the ground, protruding tree roots or pop-up sprinkler heads may need to be removed, or delimited (such as with a fence of small metal arches, as mentioned above), in case they damage, or are damaged by, the mower blade. Likewise you may need to fence off any very narrow sections that might trap the robot.

And of course, keep pets and young children away from the robot mower at all times.

Noise

The Ambrogio L60 Elite is quieter than the battery-powered push mowers we’ve tested. We measured its noise level as 52dBA at a distance of 7.5m, compared to well over 60dBA for most of the push mowers. This means the robot is quiet enough not to disturb you or the neighbours in normal daytime operation.

Cutting height

The mower’s cutting height can be set at 42mm or 48mm – this requires you to turn the unit over and use a screwdriver for the blade’s securing bolts and height spacer. This is a bit of work but after all, once you’ve decided on your preferred height, you’ll probably not need to change it again.

Charging and maintenance

When it’s out of charge, the robot simply stops, and you need to carry it back to the charger and plug it in. Weighing over 9kg, it’s a hefty little machine, but it has carry handles to make this easier.

The robot has an IPX4 rating, meaning it’s splash-proof and fairly rain-resistant, but still it’s not recommended to operate it in rain or very humid weather. Just as with a conventional lawnmower, mowing wet grass is not ideal as the grass is harder to cut and can end up torn and damaged. Also the robot can end up damp and there’s always a risk of water getting in, despite the IPX4 rating. 

The robot should be cleaned regularly with a brush or cloth (not water or chemicals) and the blades sharpened when necessary. The instructions recommend an annual service by an authorised service centre.

Is this robot lawnmower right for you? 

The Ambrogio L60 Elite could be a good option if you have a small to medium-sized lawn that:

• has clearly defined hard edges
• no steep slopes
• not many obstacles
• is secure, so a thief can’t easily snatch the robot.

It’s also helpful if you just really don’t like mowing! Its $1999 price is pretty hefty compared to many battery-powered push mowers – our lawnmower reviews have recommended some models that cost only around $500, though you can pay $1000 or more.

Other options for not mowing the lawn yourself include letting it grow wild, paving it over or getting a sheep, but the usual choice is to pay someone else to mow it for you.

A regular mowing service could easily cost about $1000 per year, assuming they come once a month in cooler seasons and twice a month in spring and summer. So the robot could certainly pay for itself within a couple of years. But mowing services usually do more than just cut the grass, like trimming the edges, clearing away fallen sticks and twigs, and so on. It’s your call whether the robot is the best option for you.

The post Ambrogio L60 Elite robot lawnmower review appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.